The Black poThecary

The Black apoThecary

Welcome Class of 2016: The Journeyby Alexandria Gallien, P4 As the new school year begins, the

journey into the life of a pharmacy student also commences. There will al-ways be something to learn, a class to attend and a quest to find the perfect hiding place to study, covet, and bite the leg of anyone who tries to steal it. Some nights may be so long that you’ll skip the idea of going home and lock yourself in the Chauncey Cooper, only to have the cleaning staff awake you the next morning as they explain that the desks are not meant to be slept on. You’re brushing your teeth in the 2nd floor bathroom and have that awkward moment when you realize there aren’t any water fountains in the building and start wondering why. You are officially “about that life” thereby doing all you can to embrace and accept your pro-fession. Although your studies are the “bread and butter” of becoming a great pharmacist, there are far more opportu-nities to take advantage of during your quest through Operation Graduation. First and foremost, take advantage of building on the greatest contribution to the profession: YOU. This is your

opportunity to build your own person-al brand by being vocal, contributing in class by asking questions, soliciting answers, and working with your col-leagues when you have the opportunity to do so. How you portray yourself in-side of the classroom gives those who may not see you outside of the class-room (i.e. professors) an opportunity to learn more about you which may be beneficial as you progress through the program as well as post graduation. Being involved outside the classroom, such as in participating in various or-ganizations, is important as well. This gives you an opportunity to become well-rounded, have affiliations out-side of class, and network within the chapter, regional and national levels. If you’re in your first year, I can un-derstand why you may shy away from joining organizations in order to focus on your studies. It’s been said first year is the hardest year as you are adjusting to the sheer volume of information you are given. The load doesn’t get lighter as you go on, you just get used to it. Al-though handling a light load may be

for some, I encourage you to join and be active in whatever you feel you can handle. It’s a great opportunity to meet others which may actually help you in your transition into pharmacy school. Being involved may even help you manage your time more wisely simply by taking on more obligations. It’s also a great way to start building your CV whether it’s by joining an organization, maintaining a job, or being involved in

In This IssueWelcome Back p.1Advice for P3s p.2Advice for P2s p.3Advice for P1s p.4

Journey Forward p.6Orientation Week p.7

Volume 6, Issue 1Fall Preview Issue

August 2012

research. Affording the time to make commendable contributions will make you a stronger and more competitive candidate upon graduation. Whether you’re Rho-Chi or Low-Chi, being well rounded is certainly a plus and can take you farther than you may realize. Aside from organizations, it’s also a good idea to participate in community service. You’ll further learn to manage your time and build your CV all while contributing to neighboring areas and improving our society. Don’t forget this will also help you build your personal brand; after all, we did take an oath to devote ourselves to a lifetime of service to others! It’s also a great way to learn more about unmet needs in the area, network with individuals outside of pharmacy school, and possibly learn about resources that may be of value to you or patients you may encounter later on in your career. There is much to be

gained from servicing others. Last and certainly not least, remem-ber nothing or no one is perfect. You’re going to realize this as you matriculate and are faced with many different situa-tions that believe it or not, will help you and give you the tools you will certainly need when you’re out in the real world practicing as a pharmacist. The key to dealing with situations that may not be ideal is to maintain a level of respect for yourself, colleagues, professors, and the College of Pharmacy. By doing this, it can only make us better on an indi-vidual and corporate level. Support the unique contributions from your col-leagues when possible. This will allow innovation and creativity to be shared and explored. Sometimes you will have that one person (or four) who are con-tinually out of line. Do the respectful thing and talk to them rather than talk about them. Always encourage your

colleges to do and be better. No one will understand your struggle except your classmates; therefore you have to be each other’s support system. During your time here, there will be a situation that you may consider un-acceptable. Instead of complaining, be the change you want to see. Adapt an “all-teach, all-learn attitude”. If you ap-proach someone with a problem, also have a solution. There are ways to en-sure your voice is heard. Be respectful, just don’t be bossy. Be confident, but considerate. Most importantly, this is your opportunity to learn about not only your profession, but your capa-bilities as well. Take advantage of every chance you get to improve yourself. Even if you find yourself under a rock, don’t settle there. Instead, bloom where you are planted.

A P4’s Guide to Surviving Year 3by Bernard Murray, P4 The third year of pharmacy school

is very stressful. Professors expect a lot out of students while students feel over-whelmed to just survive. Third year of pharmacy school also serves to tie con-cepts together. Integrated Therapeu-tics is where pharmacy school actually begins, by introducing disease states and appropriate treatment regimens, choosing one drug over another one based on side effect profile, etc. With all this information being given in a very concentrated time frame, students of-ten struggle to memorize information for the exam. Study Tips- Keep up with the material. This is the most important key for a successful third year. Information comes in a very fast paced manner, thus digesting infor-mation in a timely manner is key. Oth-erwise, the information piles up quickly and students become stressed thus not absorbing information necessary to be successful in third year. Cramming will not allow you to pass these exams. This does not mean that there will not be long nights, because there will be. How-

ever, these long nights should be more for refining material already learned, not learning new material. - Make tables. Tables condense the in-formation, allowing for it to be easily digested. An example is creating a table for aminoglycosides, which is a 70-slide presentation, down to four pages. These four pages are full of information, but not a daunting as 70-slides to digest. - Know your studying habits. For exam-ple, if you can only study in peace and quiet, then a study group may actually be a distraction. However, if you’re the type of person that learns verbally, then a study group may be perfect, where you all can have a review and quiz each other, etc. However, study groups are not meant to teach you the material, so come in with some grasp of the materi-al at hand, otherwise, the study group becomes ineffective and you actually hinder the study group from progress-ing. Survival Ideas- Take personal time to yourself. For example, if you like to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, make some

time during the week to play. The stress will pile up during pharmacy school, so a stress reliever during the week is very important.- Go out and explore DC. DC has a lot of great things to offer, i.e. zip lining, great restaurants, monuments, nightlife and sports (maybe not so great). Again, these activities allow for the relief of stress and allow for an appreciation for the nation’s capital.

- Get involved with the surrounding community. Community service is a great way to become involved. Doing walks, counseling, etc. strengthens your CV and gives you a different apprecia-tion for pharmacy besides what side ef-fects do beta-blockers have?Professors- Everyone stresses this, but actually try and pay attention in class. This is hard, I can’t say I have paid attention all the time in class, but when I have paid attention, it made studying easier. Due to two reasons:1. When studying at home, it will not be your first time seeing the material.2. Gives you insight on what the pro-

fessor has stressed in class. - Do not ask the professor, “What will be on the exam?, Can you give us a re-view slide deck?, Can you tell us what we need to know for the exam?, Can you curve the exam?” These questions not only irritate the professor, but also can subsequently cause the professor to not be as responsive to class requests. Study Food- Do not have large meals before study-ing. This will set you up for a nap, but not for passing an exam. However, you should eat something, as studying on an empty stomach is equally as inef-fective. So eat a balanced meal, but no “thanksgiving meal” before studying.

- If you’re a coffee drinker, then drink coffee, but in moderation, because once the crash happens, you will not be able to study any longer. Also, if you drink too much caffeine, it can make you all jittery and unable to focus. - Protein found in nuts can be very helpful in studying. Things like trail mix, honey roast peanuts, and cashews are some of my favorite things to snack on. - Have breakfast before exam. Taking an exam on an empty stomach hinders performance, cognition and just an-noys everyone around you with stom-ach rumbling.

3 Simple Lessons P2s (Should) Learnby Maric K. Allen, P31. Scribbling things in a planner

doesn’t mean you’ve mastered the art of time management I’ve been keeping a planner since I got my first one in the sixth grade. At the beginning of each semester I would in-put all upcoming exams, major assign-ments, and any other events I felt were important enough to toss in there. The only problem was that after all that in-put the planner ended up at the bottom of my backpack as due dates quickly came and went. During my P1 year (be-fore the exam block system) procrasti-nation and I became the best of friends, so I often found myself preparing for exams with a twelve hour window and a thirteen chapter work load. Although these marathon study sessions were tor-turous and didn’t always yield the best results, I did gain a new nickname as a result: “The Cram Artist”. It wasn’t until P2 year that I began to realize the err of my ways. Don’t end up like me; you can avoid red bull fueled study sessions by using your planner in a manner that maximizes your time and minimizes your stress. Having a planner is point-less unless the things you document are then prioritized and the process of completing or preparing for them is incorporated into a daily routine. Ded-icating just thirty minutes to prioritiz-ing your planner every day for 21 days

can make it a habit that won’t be easy to break. I realize that we live in a dig-ital era and having a physical planner isn’t for everyone, but there are several templates in Microsoft Word and Excel as well as mobile applications for just about every phone that can be utilized as management tools. Only once you have committed to the proper usage of your planner can you reap the benefits of time management.2. Just because you color code your closet doesn’t really mean you’re or-ganized I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve never color coded my closet; in fact cleaning my room is pretty much a seasonal activity (but that’s another article altogether). What I’m getting at is the commonly held belief that peo-ple who keep their room, car, or work desk tidy are by definition an organized person. Don’t believe the hype! Having a perfectly arranged sock drawer or an alphabetized DVD rack doesn’t guar-antee your matriculation through phar-macy school; it takes a particular kind of organization to succeed. The type of organization you will need as a P2 (especially with the 50-foot Integrated Therapeutics Monster lurking around the corner) involves the coordination of a reliable system in which vital infor-mation is where you want it whenever

you need it. During my P2 year I de-termined that one minor alteration was necessary in order to achieve this type of organization: a restructuring of the systematic way in which I send and/or receive vital information as well as the methods by which I store that import-ant information. It all started with the P1 class roster; I added my email address and was almost immediately hit by an email tsunami. My inbox was already packed with an alarming 22,000 messages (over 9,000 of which were never opened). How was I supposed to sift through and find im-portant emails when every day there were messages pouring in from pro-

A P2’s Guide to Surviving Year 1by Bryan Sackey, P2 Welcome class of 2016! You have now

taken the first step of your profession-al career by pursing a truly invaluable pharmacy education here at Howard University College of Pharmacy. The plan is to successfully complete all your courses and gain substantial knowledge in the realm of pharmacy in order to become the great pharmacist you are destined to be. However for these four years to go as smoothly as possible, you must avoid critical mistakes and take the right steps. There are many intan-gibles one must consider especially for the first year because you must ensure that your initial step is in the right di-rection. I have learned a lot from my past year at HUCOP, and it is only right to share some quality advice to you all based on my experience and the experi-ence of other pharmacy students at this University. 1. Pay critical attention in class. I am sure you are all aware that the pharmacy school coursework can be overwhelming and requires critical understanding of the material. One of the best ways to alleviate this process is by actually attending class and gain-ing a firm understanding of the mate-rial from the professors themselves. Take detailed notes, ask questions, and

turn off Facebook. You can even record the lectures for future reference. You will find that when exam time comes around, chronic study sessions will turn into painless material review. Many of the professors here also love to amend their lectures and provide critical exam information during class time.2. Form a good relationship with the faculty. The professors are not your enemies. They will administer challenging ex-ams, albeit they are here to help you become great pharmacists in the future. It is important to form a good relation-ship with the faculty; life is much easi-er that way. It is even more important for those who may want to conduct re-search with a professor or even residen-cy in the future. Chat with them after class about the future of pharmacy. Ask them about personal research they may be involved in. Whatever it may be, just remember that they are humans too, and they were once in your shoes.3. Get well accustomed with Exam-Soft® ExamSoft® is a new computer based test taking software. It was implement-ed last year and it is designed to simu-late the testing format seen in the NA-PLEX. To avoid any mishaps during the

exam, you should be fully acquainted with the software and even how to trou-bleshoot when necessary. If you choose to use your own laptop, make sure it can support the software. For now, there is no option of taking a paper exam when ExamSoft® is available so my advice is to let it be your best friend.4. Know about events and get in-volved. You will receive countless emails from class representatives and faculty about various events occurring throughout HUCOP during the year. Though they may be overwhelming at times, I would

fessors, campus organizations, social media accounts, that Discover Card ap-plication I only filled out in order to get a free slice of pizza and a T-shirt, and dozens of other mailing lists I don’t re-member signing up for? I didn’t want to create a new account and trying to con-duct a clean-up starting with the very first message from eight years prior was a huge failure, but luckily during P2 year I discovered a source of help. ReviveYourInbox.com is a free and easy to use service that brought san-ity to my inbox and fundamentally changed the way I use my email ac-counts. Utilizing the 21-day program allowed me to learn how to properly use folders, conduct an efficient mail search, and block messages I had little

or no likelihood of reading. With my newly revived inbox accessing lecture notes, class announcements, and other vital information became a synch and I’m a better student because of it.3. You don’t have to feel guilty about having FUN while in pharmacy school! Did someone say happy hour??! It’s easy to get caught up in the constant pressures of being a student pharma-cist, but you have to enjoy your school years before they pass you by. There’s always going to be a chapter to read, a presentation to prepare, or an exam to study for, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a delicate balance. Once I was able to sharpen my organization and time management skills I found way

more opportunities for guilt-free fun. Increasing my campus involvement during P2 year allowed for more chanc-es to “party-with-a-purpose”, whether it was charity social events, regional or national conferences, or just happy hours on U Street. The best part about those activities were the fact that I could be social, benefit a worthy cause, advance in an organization, and build up networking skills all while adding to my CV. Just remember to enjoy phar-macy school while it lasts. It might seem like forever while you’re progress-ing through the program, but when it’s over you won’t even believe how fast it feels like it zipped by.

advise you to read each one so you do not miss out on potentially gratifying opportunities. They range from re-vered speakers to special events held by various organizations in pharmacy school. Being your first year, I would advise you to take advantage of many of these events so you can explore and determine what you may be interested in. You do not have to join every orga-nization, but by attending events you can then figure out what interests you the most. Furthermore, you may meet a guest speaker that could possibly pres-ent you with an opportunity of a life-time. 5. Remember, your education comes first. Do not overwhelm yourself. This next advice ironically comes after an advice telling you to get in-volved; however it is important to un-derstand the balance. Yes, you should get involved but is also important to not overwhelm yourself. The first semester is strategically designed to be heavy in coursework to test your ability to han-dle a large volume of work and to also prepare you for the background knowl-edge necessary for impending courses in pharmacy school. This semester is critical and you do not want to start off in a bad position. You will have plen-ty of opportunities in the future to get involved in pharmacy school, but not many opportunities to rectify poor course performance. If you can handle the extracurricular then it is fine, but remember your education is priority here6. Handle all administrative issues early.

This includes financial issues (Admin-istrative building aka the “A” building), Health and immunization issues, Park-ing issues etc. You do not want these issues to linger because they become an even bigger problem throughout the semester when you are trying to focus on your school work. This is especial-ly important for the student health and immunization records because they can put a registration block on your ac-count preventing you from registering courses and even summer rotations.7. Where to eat. Howard offers plenty of options in the dining department so do not fret. The “Punch-out” located in Black-burn contains a host of food choices ranging from wings and subs to Asian cuisine. However with the location of your classes and the often brief break time, you may find yourself on Geor-gia avenue which provides various food venues such as Starbucks, Potbelly’s, McDonalds, Negril Jamaican eatery, Food corner, and Subway to name a few. You also have the option to dine at the Howard Hospital cafeteria which is somewhat connected to the medical school building. They offer different entrees throughout the week to provide variety, making it a popular place for a lot of health professional students who constantly parade those grounds.8. Time is precious, manage it appro-priately. I cannot stress this enough. Your survival here at pharmacy school is de-pendent on how well you manage your time. You will have many responsibil-ities throughout your four year tenure

however your coursework will not stop. Your first semester will be a crash course and you must master time man-agement within this period because your responsibilities will only increase from there. You should definitely invest in some form of a planner to schedule your time appropriately. I came into Pharmacy school having fully mastered the art of procrastination but I quickly learned that this not work here. 9. Your class is now your family Unless you have a relative in the class, this is obviously not in the literal sense, nonetheless, this is the way you should perceive your classmates and interact with each other. Everyone should get well acquainted and help each other because at the end of the day you are all working towards a common goal. At this stage in your career, there is no more competition between classmates. You all must now work together to sur-vive and excel these four years. Phar-macy is a profession which involves teamwork so it is important to embrace this characteristic now.10. Find an outlet Though we all love pharmacy and the constant hours of studying, there are times where you should take a break and recharge your brain. It can be ex-ercising, picking up a new hobby, or exploring DC. This area provides nu-merous opportunities to “take a break” from studying. Just be sure to not over-dose on these “breaks” where you are derailed from the original purpose of being here.

Were you part of the school newspaper?Do you enjoy writing for an audience?Do you have a creative mind?Do you have an interest in expressing your thoughts and insight?

Contact the Black Apothecary for information on how you can be a part of the staff and get your voice heard!

[email protected]

Welcome P1s: A Path to Successby Ryan Maxwell, P2 Having made it past the tedious ap-

plication process, exhaustive interview, and laborious selection of just the right candidates, you are one of the chosen few. Welcome to Howard University College of Pharmacy, Class of 2016. Fret not, leave your jitters behind, you have made the right decision; your ed-ucation here should come second to none. With this in mind, now begins the process of making this invaluable experience as fruitful as possible – now begins the journey forward. To ensure your continued success, I encourage each of you to be as uni-fied and cooperative as possible. While administration, faculty, and upper-classmen all have your best interests at heart, your biggest allies are one another – teamwork is quintessential. One person’s weakness may be another person’s strength. By working together, everyone can thrive and benefit from the intricacy of so many diverse back-grounds. With this attitude, everyone should prosper and see their dreams come to fruition. As pharmacy students, it is also im-perative to get involved in student/ professional organizations on campus. These organizations provide opportu-nities to develop leadership and profes-sional qualities needed in any pharma-cist. They’re also great places to network

and interact with others who share in-terests in common with your own. Take advantage of national conventions, vol-unteer opportunities, and workshops that these organizations provide. It is for your own benefit and growth – both personally and academically. In addition, know that time man-agement will be critical. Juggling five classes your first semester and six in the second will be no easy feat. Time man-agement will be crucial in handling the newfound speed in which information comes and the volume in which it flows. So long to last minute studying and late night cramming the day before the test. To be a master at this game will require more than that and more of you. Effec-tive management of your time will be a great determinant of how successful you will and can be. Another crucial ingredient to your continued success as an entering phar-macy student is this: your ability to ask for help. Do not be led by fear or ego. Lay this to the side. Everyone is here to learn. If you knew it all, you wouldn’t be here. Know when to seek assistance if or when you need it. Don’t wait until the week before finals to seek help; stymie the problems as they arise. Be unafraid to ask questions. Take full advantage of the plethora of tutoring opportunities here at your disposal.

Most importantly, as you make this quantum leap forward into becoming your fullest self, remember to enjoy the ride. See it not as four years of purga-tory, but four years of change, hope, and inspiration. Let your dreams run wild. You are a “bison” now; it is what we do. See the meaning in the quizzes, tests, and finals which never seem to end. You’re turning dreams into reali-ty, making change happen, and pushing yourself forward. Once again, welcome to Howard University College of Pharmacy, Class of 2016. Here at Howard, opportunity awaits you. However, it’s up to you to make the most of it.

Important DatesAugust / September

August 31 College of Pharmacy Picnic Rock Creek Park, 4 PM

September 3 Labor Day Observed Legal Holiday

September 28 Opening Convocation Classes Suspended 10 AM - 1 PM

Orientation Week 2012

The Black Apothecary was founded in the 1970s by Dr. Kenneth Scott to serve as the student voice of the Howard University College of Pharmacy. Student run and written, the Black Apothecary aims to provide a reliable, strong and current voice for the students of Howard University College of Pharmacy. for more information on the Black Apothecary, please contact the editor Samuel Oh ([email protected]), or our faculty advisor Dr. Monika Daftary ([email protected])

How to reach us:

The Black [email protected]

Issues can be found on the Howard University College of Pharmacy website at: www.pharmacy.howard.edu